Four-wheeled recreational motor vehicles of reduced size for street or track use include go-carts and dragsters. Go-carts may have a seat that is fixed to the frame between the axles. The engine, which is generally a gasoline-powered, single-cylinder engine, may be located behind the seat and before the rear axle. The accelerator and foot brake pedals may be disposed close to the front axle and may be a fixed distance from the seat or adjustable distance from the seat.
Generally, conventional go-carts generally come in “child” and “adult” sizes. These go-carts have features which are unique to the initial size determination. Aspects that would need to be variable for different sized drivers include, accelerator and break pedals, seat height, and seatbelt design.
In professional racing, severe injuries and deaths occurred when drivers still in their seats were thrown from cars. To counter this, the National Association of Stock Car Racing (NASCAR®) rules now require that the seat be attached, at several points, directly to the tubular structure that forms the roll cage, which is sometimes the only part of the car left intact after a crash. However, often the advantages of such features are typically overlooked in miniaturized racing vehicles such as go-carts or mini-dragsters. In the event of a crash in these vehicles, there remains the risk of serious injury to a driver and often the simple plastic or rubber seat is not enough to provide the requisite degree of safety many drivers desire.
Some recreational vehicles may be in the shape of a dragster. Full sized dragsters generally have large engines, such as a V8 engine, and are capable of speeds up to 150 miles per hour. These vehicles are prohibitively expensive for the hobbyist and are too large and too powerful for adolescents and young adults. Current mini-dragsters available for adolescents are typically made on a scale such that children older than 12 or 13 may not fit into the seat of the mini-dragster. In other words, a conventional mini-dragster does not allow for a range of persons ranging in size from an adolescent to an average sized adult to fit in or drive it. The mini-dragsters currently available also may not have the capability of switching the body shell or exterior appearance of the vehicle. In addition, the mini-dragsters currently available may be limited to in-line racing formats and may not have the capability of being modified for use for racing on a circular track.
Further, go-carts currently available that are able to change multiple exterior shells or designs may not contain roll cages and protective seating to protect the driver in case of a rollover. Often a go-cart will have a single “roll-bar” or other such device behind the driver's head to provide some protection in the event of a roll-over. However, protection in the front and sides of the driver is lacking in the prior art designs. It would, therefore, be desirable to have a mini-dragster style vehicle with the safety features more commonly seen in professional race circuits.